The Lunatic's Game
by KatrinaLinden
Summary: Forty-eight youths have been plucked from the world and dumped into a minecraft-like dome. The hundredth Survival Games is begun, sentencing forty-seven to death. But this is more then fighting; frayed friendships and dark pasts must be forgotten before death steals them away forever... Only one can win this Lunatic's Game. (My attempt to break the cliche with Survival Games)
1. Chapter 1

**Before I get to this new story, I want to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Aviskye. She's an amazing friend of mine; go read her story The Darkness Beyond, it is well written, original, with a creative plot... and I could go on.**

**Now. I've wanted to write a Survival Games for a long time, though I know it's extremely over-done and the idea is wearing thin for most readers. Even so, I'm going to try and be ****_somewhat_**** original. Oh, and I PROMISE, no youtubers.**

**Ian**

It wasn't cold. That's what surprised me most. I vividly remembered the freezing night beforehand -a sharp contrast from the perfect temperature where I lay, neither hot nor cold.

And so I woke, my eyes staring, unfocussed, at the plain white ceiling above me. Soon enough I snapped into full consciousness, my mind still slightly muddled.

I sat up, meeting the dark eyes of a red-haired girl. A simple green T-shirt covered her torso. Dark blue jeans clothed her legs, which were crossed beneath her, her feet encased in black and white runners. Her hair hung down to her waist, chestnut brown streaked with dark red.

Finally looking away from this stranger, I studied my own clothing, which matched hers.

"Who are you?" The speaker was, of course, the girl, yet her suspicious and demanding tones were unexpected. It was hardly my fault I was here -wherever the hell 'here' was. I looked at her defiantly, only to be locked in her glare -so full of hatred and anger that I looked away almost instantly.

"M'name's Ian," I mumbled, studying the floor.. She nodded in my peripheral vision, not offering so much as her name in return.

We sat like that in silence for a while, her resting against the wall, me sitting uncomfortably in the middle of this empty white room; the only feature a light set in the ceiling.

**"Welcome to this year's Survival Games!" **The male voice boomed through the room and I stood, a feeling of horror and dread spreading through my body.

/\ /\ /\ /\

**Holly**

Teleportation. I had never through about what such a thing would feel like, but I doubt I could have ever imagined the shock of having every cell in my body being torn apart and fixed back together in a new place. No pain -the body had no measure of pain for that kind of damage. Just a wave of shock; the kind that leaves you helpless for a moment, caught up trying to work out what just happened.

This new area was as much a surprise. White bark dotted with black encased slender trees that were scattered around myself and perhaps fifty others; all wore the same clothes, all were grouped into pairs.

My pair, a small blonde girl, gripped my hand and pointed ahead.

We all stood in a circle around a large pile of items; weapons, food, camping gear, all was laid out around twenty meters before us.

A low hum began to build in my ears, smoothly growing in volume until it became an almost unbearable buzz. Then it faded away, and a female voice spoke clearly.

_"Welcome to the one hundredth Survival Games, Holly. I am here to guide you through this new world."_

The perfect, calming tones lead me to guess that the humming had been a measure of my hearing. I gazed at the people around me. Each time my eyes rested on a single person for too long, the voice would inform me of that person's name, gender, and who their pair was. It referred to the pairs as 'teams', and when I questioned the word use in my thoughts, it told me that for the first time ever, players of this sick game (not its words) were put into teams. If members of the same team became the final two, both would win.

Understanding this, I looked at the little girl beside me. White-blonde hair fell from her shoulders, her arms hugging her torso. She couldn't be older than eleven.

_"Isobelle. Female. Teamed with Holly."_ Hearing my own name again unnerved me, it confirmed that I was here. And so I looked out to the other teams once again.

_"Amy. Female. Teamed with Ian" _The name sent shocks through my body. I searched for the girl whose name I knew so well. The red-brown hair caught my eye and fear, guilt, sadness and a just tinge of excitement swelled inside me. Amy caught my eye, and she glared at me, staring deeply into my eyes, as though she could see my soul, and hated it.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, but my apology was drowned by a yell.

"**Game beginning in ten!"**

A few seconds passed, in which my heart beat wildly.

**"Five!"**

I gripped Isobelle's hand, preparing to run away from the others.

**"Four!"**

Amy didn't leave her gaze from me, though she muttered something to her pair.

**"Three!"**

Others were preparing to run at the centre. I wondered what Amy would do.

**"Two!"**

I was so scared. Lord was I scared.

**"One!"**

Amy's gaze, did it soften slightly?

**"Zero! You have a sixty-second Grace Period!"**

The lightning that signaled the start shook the ground, and I almost lost my balance. I couldn't leave my eyes from Amy, even though Isobelle tugged at my arm. She and Ian separated and he ran to the items, sprinting as fast as he could. Amy ran straight at me, and I quivered in terror.

"Come on," She commanded, grabbing my arm and pulling me towards the centre. She was fast; I could barely keep up. Ian was frantically reaching for the provisions, filling a large brown back-pack. Amy let go of my hand, reaching for an elegant sheathed sword. The sheath was a simple white, the edges darkening to silver. The crossguard was narrow, curving over the edge of the blade and was barely wider than the sheath. The hilt was of medium length; a hand-and-a-half blade. Inside the pommel, which was shaped to be like a leaf extending from the hilt ending in a tight point, a black dragon was carved, its tail keeping the leaf attached to the rest of the sword.

Amy held the weapon with awe, and I remembered afternoons as she practiced fencing, sometimes showing me a few skills, though I was rarely interested.

Isobelle reached out and grabbed a dagger that was suitable for her size; a rather plain knife that had a blade about fifteen centimeters long.

Glancing around the limited pile of weapons, I hesitantly snatched a dark wood bow, already strung. Amy threw at me a quiver of un-dyed leather, full of arrows as dark as the bow.

"Let's go," Ian muttered. He had attached to his belt a sheathed two-handed sword, which was noticeably simpler than Amy's. Obeying, I followed the two, Isobelle keeping close to me, her dagger steady in her small hand.

**End AN's are hard. I want to spoil stuff. Aanyway, look forward to the next chapter, hopefully out by next week. R&R, and Oc's are welcome.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Welcome to chapter 2 :D. I'm going to ****_try_**** and begin to post my fanfics at least on a fortnightly basis. **

**I hope you guys like this chapter; tell me if there's anything you want changed.**

**Ian**

**"Grace Period has ended!"** This was followed with several lightning bolts, after which the announcer confirmed that two people had died. Amy froze, staring through the forest. The trees went on seemingly forever, hiding who knew how many dangers.

From behind me I heard a gasp and I turned to see the little girl hiding behind the other. Isobelle half hid behind Holly, her dagger bare and pointed at me.

"I'm not going to hurt you," I told her.

"I'm the youngest. I'm too small to be any use as a fighter, and I cannot run as fast as you. I'm no use to any of you." Her calm tone astounded me; the idea that such a young girl could be so accepting of her fate was almost unnerving.

Amy spun around, stepping towards Isobelle, but not too close as to scare her.

"We may be in a game invented by monsters, but that does not make us monsters ourselves. I shall not harm you Isobelle. Unlike some," she looked up at Holly with an accusing gaze, "I do not abandon people."

I wondered briefly about what had happened between Amy and Holly. Amy had asked to join forces with Holly and Isobelle, claiming to have befriended the former. If that was so, and she wanted to protect her, then why was she so hostile? Amy was like a boulder, even more so when conversing with Holly. Hard, unmoving and strong.

Another lighting bolt shook the ground, and I gave up my puzzling. Amy slid into the woods, followed closely by Isobelle, who seemed to suddenly trust her. Holly went next and I came last. My eyes constantly followed the shadows of the trees, searching for anything out of place.

\/ \/ \/ \/

**Isobelle**

One of the best ways to keep away from strangers who could mean you harm, in Survival Games, was to keep moving. Clearly Amy knew this, for she did not let us stop for a long time and kept swirling around unexpectedly to peer behind her. More than once she almost knocked me over, leaving Holly to catch me and advise me not to stay too near to our seeming leader, though soon I forgot and hurried to be near her. Amy's air of purpose gave me confidence; for the first time since awaking beside Holly I felt a glimmer of hope. I had played a few games of Survival Games, safe behind my computer; enough to know the idea and main strategies, and that teams usually won.

"Aaaargh!" The warped cry came from our right, echoing against the trees. This was followed by a clash of thunder and the crackle of electricity as a lightning bolt hit the trees barely fifty metres away. Heavy footsteps came our way, and Amy silently indicated that we stay put. Hesitant, I held my dagger in my right hand, which was steadier, and glared into the trees.

A young man with short straw-coloured hair and pale skin raced out of the trees, a stone sworn held shakily in his hands. He took one look at the four of us and turned, starting to run back out of the woods.

Amy leaped forward and slashed at his throat; he crumpled to the ground in a bloodied heap.

"Come on," she muttered, her shaking voice betraying her shock, despite her cold and emotionless face. I did not need or ask for an explanation for her actions; anyone left alive could be the one to kill us later. Holly and Ian did not seem so comfortable with the murder; they stared at Amy with slightly fearful expressions.

"Would you rather that his role was reversed, and it was Amy who died?" This I voiced at Holly, who went pale, stared at the ground and murmured that it was not so.

Satisfied they would continue to stay part of the group, as numbers were vital in this cruel 'game', I continued onwards.

/\ /\ /\ /\

**Holly**

My legs were growing steadily tired as we continued to move on. I did not dare state this; even Isobelle was continuing to walk with ease, though forced to jog every few steps to keep up with Amy and Ian's long strides. I had counted five lightning strikes since the Grace Period ended, not including the one that accompanied Amy killing the stranger. Six dead, forty-two still alive. It made sense that the games had started with twenty-four teams and forty-eight players; double the amount that traditionally played in Survival Games.

As I contemplated this, the three ahead came to a halt and I jogged slightly to catch up; I had not realised I was lagging behind so much.

"Thank god I didn't have to make that," muttered Ian shakily as he stared at the thick glass wall of the massive dome. It stretched higher that I could see, invisible in the sun's glare. The forest continued on past the barrier, stretching out under the sun, which was hovering low in the sky.

"Great. If we try and circle around the area, we will undoubtedly meet others with the same idea." The group nodded silently at my summary.

"What provisions did you get, Ian?" At Amy's words, Ian began rifling through a dark green backpack, withdrawing some Minecraft food; loaves of bread, a few baked potatoes, and some cooked meat. It was only enough to feed the four of us for one day and night; we would have to find more soon.

"I'm hungry," muttered Isobelle. "Can we eat some now? I know we don't have much, but better we eat it now then become weak and die with it uneaten." It was almost a joke; Ian seemed to take it as that, for he chuckled and gave her a potato.

A potato each filling our stomachs, we set onwards again, quietly moving through the trees just in sight of the dome wall, circling towards what we hoped would be some source of food.

**Anyway. I need... forty characters! I'll think up some myself, of course, and kill a lot out of the 'screen', but still. My imagination can only go so far. So, for OC's, post what you feel is important.**

**Making AN's are surprisingly haaaaaard :P. Byes!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello again all. It seems I am so far successful with keeping the deadline for this story to Monday afternoon (for me). I can't give any promises that this will keep up, but we can all hope, eh?**

**Dominic**

"Yes!" The victorious yell was louder than I thought it would be, causing me to scan the trees that surrounded the farmhouse nervously.

"Scared by your own voice," Kalid snickered, strutting towards the small wheat farm. Together we plucked each wheat stem, piling them by the door. The farmhouse was something of a ruin, with holes in the triangular roof and windows empty of glass. The door hung on rusted hinges; just a tap caused a shriek that may have told the entire games where we were.

"Not exactly dispensers and tripwire, but a trap all the same," muttered Kalid, who from his extensive observance and verbal dissection of everything we had come across; I guessed knew quite a bit of Minecraft traps. Forsaking the door, we clambered through one of the bigger windows, carrying the wheat with us. Inside was a mess; vines hung from holes in the ceiling and slimy moss covered the stone floor. A crafting table sat in a corner along with three furnaces and a small chest. I rushed to open the chest. Inside was an apple, two arrows and a crude stone axe.

"I get the apple." Kalid snatched the fruit from my hand, grinning wickedly. Scowling, I thrust the axe inside my belt, throwing the arrows at Kalid, who ducked, leaving the arrows to clatter on the floor.

Aside from a bow and leather boots (which I wore) we had found earlier, this was all we had. Both Kalid and I had ran from the cornucopia. We were smart enough to get away from everyone at the first chance.

I stood over the crafting table, studying the nine squares. "Right. How do we use this?"

"Erm.." Kalid bumped past me, spreading a handful of wheat across the lower three squares. A second passed, then a brown loaf of bread glimmered faintly in the centre of the squares. With a near-silent whooshing, the wheat vanished and the bread solidified, warm and edible.

"Cool." Kalid spread a large bundle of the wheat across the squares. Five loaves were made. Sparsely eaten, we could survive for at least three days.

"I'm going to check for any dropped wheat." I nodded my consent to Kalid, already heading towards the back of the house, intent on finding anything of value.

Nothing much was there, the house was even more of a ruin in this part; half of the back wall had fallen, leaving piles of stones blocking up the floor.

"Domin- _Aaaaaaaaaah_!" Kalid's scream faded into pitiful whimpers as I rushed outside, the ruins forgotten. Four strangers stood at the edge of the trees. One of them had a bow notched, though she seemed shaken. One lock of her short black hair hung before her eye, though the rest was tucked neatly behind her ears. Her thin lips hung wide open as she stared at Kalid.

My pair was writhing on the muddy ground that had once been the wheat farm, a dark arrow sticking from his gut. There was a surprisingly little amount of blood, though he was clearly in a great deal of pain.

"Holly, finish him off. He's in a lot more pain than he would be if dead." I raised my gaze to glare at the speaker, a brown-haired guy who was perhaps 15, maybe 16. He seemed a little pale, and not in the least shocked, but his voice was steady. For that, I hated him. Kalid was _dying._ They had killed him, no matter if he was dead yet or not.

"Fuck you all," I spat, grabbing my axe. In response, one of them unsheathed a sword so quickly it seemed she had always held the blade bare.

"_AAAAAHHHHHH_!" Kalid's scream ran through the forest, stopping the girl from saying whatever it was she had planned to say.

"Kill them. We have to move _now._" The little blonde girl nodded, taking a somewhat large knife in her right hand. She moved towards Kalid, watching him with emotionless eyes.

"Don't think your age will save you kid," I muttered. I was more then ready to run forward and hit at her neck so hard it severed, then pain exploded across my thigh. The goddamn archer had shot me!

Cursing, I clumsily threw the axe towards the archer and guy, who still stood where I first saw them. The red-haired girl had stepped into the forest and out of sight. The two ducked, completely denying me a final chance at revenge.

"No, no, please n-" Kalid's plea was replaced with a sickly gurgling. His throat had been slit.

"Damn you all." It was all I could think of as lightning shook the ground.

"Damn us? Who is it that forces us to kill for our own survival?" The red-haired girl had returned, and had begun spitting philosophy. I didn't have a chance to reply before the little girl came at with me with her knife.

**Ian**

_I'm the only one of this group who hasn't killed anyone._

I was more scared than disgusted. Would it be my turn next? Amy had killed a boy earlier, Isobelle and Holly together had killed two. The only sign of where their bodies had lain were two scorch marks on the earth, remnants of the lightning that had disintegrated their bodies. Their items were packed safely in my bag, six loaves of bread and an apple.

"Let's go," whispered Holly. She had barely made a sound since she had shot the first person and I couldn't blame her. We were all shaken, aside perhaps from Amy, who was as silent and emotionless as a stone. She had left us to scout quickly around the farmhouse, and was now returning.

"I found a path," Amy said. "We should follow it."

"A path would leave us in the open."

"Then we'll stick to the trees." I turned to Isobelle in surprise. Her knife was clean of blood and sat in the small sheath at her belt.

"Let's go then," I muttered, already following Amy. I seemed to be doing that a lot.

**Dominic and Kalid were names I got off my friend. She got quite upset when I told her I was going to kill her brothers :P**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hullo all. Welcome to week three of my deadlined SG! Having just written the majority of this chapter today, my creativity has all but gone, so I will leave you to read.**

**Holly**

I was really getting sick of this place. I hated the trees that stood around us, the low branches and leaves that scratched at my face and hair. I hated the gravel path that kept vanishing out of my sight, giving me a scare constantly. I hated the bow across my back, catching on everything. I despised the lightning that hit occasionally, informing us another life had been lost.

"Thirty-five," I whispered as the thunder sounded yet again. The number of people left was branded into my mind.

"I can't stand sneaking around for much longer," complained Ian.

"Ok then. Go and be obvious and get yourself killed."

Ian glared at Amy, swallowing an insult.

"It's getting late," whispered Isobelle, her voice quivering. Golden rays pierced through the forest canopy, darkening ever so slowly.

"That was quick," I muttered, staring at where I assumed the sun lay (the trees completely blocked it from sight).

"Perhaps days pass quickly here, similar to Minecraft." Amy's expression was worried, for once.

"Do... Do you think mobs spawn here too?" Isobelle was truly terrified now. I was reminded once again that she was just a young girl. During the day, knife in hand, she could do anything, yet at night when the dark closed in and monsters prowled the area, of course she was helpless. In all honesty I felt the same way.

"Most likely." Ian seemed unworried. I suspected he was the kind of person that spent nights on Minecraft above ground, easily killing anything in sight.

"We'll need to find some shelter before night," Amy muttered.

"Thanks for stating the obvious." I looked at Ian, perplexed. Perhaps he didn't like Amy taking control?

Guilt still twisted my stomach each time I looked at Amy. I didn't mind her taking charge. She had decided to join with me, why I knew not. And I wasn't going to give up my best chance of surviving this in a hurry.

**Ian**

We had begun moving a lot faster. Isobelle, I noticed, was half-jogging to keep up with us, though perhaps determination kept her from complaining. We all feared the night. The dangers of other people were things that, by now, we kind of understood. Yet the mobs of the night... We had never met them in reality. Doubtlessly they would be far more fearsome than on a screen. Would they be more deadly? Would the sick minds that created these Games create stronger, unbeatable monsters?

I honestly didn't want to find out.

Ahead the forest opened to what I assumed was the edge of a town. I stood ahead of the group, having pushed past Amy earlier. I was too cautious to allow one person to take charge without question. Earlier I had been OK with that, before she had begun vanishing to 'scout', and people had been killed. I understood I was being incredibly suspicious, but to be trusting here was to have death wish.

"Should we shelter in one of those houses?" It was Holly who asked. Turning back, I saw Amy frown and open her mouth.

"Don't see why not." Defiantly I stared at Amy, catching her eye, silently daring her to contradict me. Amy watched me quietly. Her frown softened to something slightly sadder, before it vanished to a cold line. She shrugged and walked past me, lithely heading to the nearest building.

"Ian, give her a break. She's trying to keep us all safe." Holly pushed past me and followed Amy, eyes on her feet.

"Well. I'm tired." Isobelle smiled at me. We headed to the house.

**Isobelle**

The house was brick, mainly. Despite cracks in the walls and vines across the exterior, the building was in good repair. A narrow wooden staircase connected the two floors. Amy and Holly were already covering windows with wooden boards ripped from -I assumed- a decayed patch of the second floor.

I was beyond exhausted. To my joy, three beds stood in opposite corners of one room.

"We should eat first." With clear annoyance, Ian dropped his bag and nodded at Amy, who seemed to deliberately ignore his attitude. She handed each of us half a loaf of bread. Not a feast, but food. I ate it on one of the beds, leaning against the wooden wall. Ian seemed to have developed a disliking for Amy, I couldn't see why. And Amy clearly didn't care.

Holly was clearly still trying to be unnoticed by her old friend. I was interested as to why, but I couldn't really just _ask_ her. People didn't like that.

Amy had taken the first watch, heading to the first floor before anyone could reply. The sun had long ago set, and I assumed night would not last longer than five hours. I heard movements from Ian's corner; couldn't he stay still? In silence sound traveled far.

"Holly," Ian hissed. Holly didn't move, and for a moment I thought she was asleep.

"What'dya want?" Her voice was slightly sleepy. _Had_ she been sleeping?

"What's up with you and Amy?" More silence.

I sat up as quietly as I could.

"What... What do you mean?" Her voice quivered slightly.

"You know. She seems to loathe you."

"I-I stuffed up, completely. Long ago. It's not something I want to talk about."

With that she rolled over, falling back into silence.

I listened to my breathing for a fairly long time, waiting to see if anything else would happen. At long last I closed my eyes, letting myself sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

**Wow. Chapter 5! I suppose that due to the fact I have planned a fair bit of this plot, I can write easily. Oh, BTW, I've reopened the what-do-you-want-me-to-write poll on my profile. I will try to get out other stories.**

**Alex**

"Keep those things away from me," I hissed, looking at Caitlyn's potions warily. Both were a sickly green colour, shimmering through the scarily-thin glass. Caitlyn merely laughed and skipped ahead. She'd been unbearably happy since we'd found them. In complete honesty, I too was pleased we had such strong weapons, but my only experiences with poison was from really annoying little blue spiders on a screen.

The sun had only recently risen; both of us crept carefully through the seemingly abandoned town, eyes searching for remaining mobs and waking tributes both.

I hated that word, tribute. We had hardly been _given_ to the Games.

Movement. Behind boarded up windows of a small house by the forest, a shadow had shifted. I froze, staring at the building.

Caitlyn walked forward a few steps before realising I had stopped, staring back at me with an annoyed expression. "Come on. I don't want to stop."

_"What was that?"_

_"Was that a person"_

_"Hush!"_

It was Caitlyn's turn to freeze. Her eyes inched up to the house, fear sweeping over her features. "Run," she breathed, carefully inching one of the poison potions from her bag. I opened my mouth to protest, but she glared at me, suddenly beyond serious. "Goddam it Alex, _go!_" Without replying I fled, racing into the forest, hand on my iron sword.

We'd heard at least three voices there. There was no way Caitlyn would survive.

And now I was alone.

**Holly**

Amy led us to the bottom floor. My bow was already nocked, I held the arrowhead against the recurve, my right hand holding the string gently.

I stood before Isobelle, who held her knife in steady hands. Amy reached for the door, opening it quickly. Light streamed in, and I got a glimpse of a red-haired girl of perhaps thirteen years, a green orb in her hands. Before I could begin to take aim, she threw the orb at me. By instinct alone I ducked, flattening myself to the floor. Isobelle, who hadn't seen the potion until I fell, was hit in the face.

Before I could stand Ian was out the door, closely followed by Amy. I was left to look after Isobelle. The poison had vanished, completely soaked into her skin, which now had a green tinge. Vomit streamed from her open lips, and her eyes were screwed shut in pain. I helped her roll over, numbly ensuring she wouldn't choke. I sat there, looking at this poor girl who was perhaps dying, and hated myself.

**Ian**

My blade was splattered with blood. Amy was silent as we returned to the house, her head raised and her mouth an angry slash across her face. I felt slightly sick, and not because of the now-dead girl's second potion. Amy had pushed me out of the way, letting it hit a nearby tree.

I had killed someone. Briefly I thought of my brother. That girl... Would her parents one day hate me as I hated his murderer? Would they spend nights thinking about how they would kill me as I did her, wishing they knew who I was?

Or would they never know? Would she just vanish and never return, like all of us?

"Isobelle!" Amy suddenly left my side, racing towards the house. Holly knelt by the little girl, who lay so still and was so pale I first thought her dead.

Together Amy and I got a bed down from the first floor, slowly lifting Isobelle onto it. Her frail little body shivered, yet sweat poured from her skin and her forehead burned.

"She has a fever," muttered Holly, who had remained silent until now.

"Well," Amy didn't bother to look at her, "If you know how to cure her, your input is welcome."

Holly stared at the ground, despair etched on her face.

"Must you be like that?" Amy was silent for a moment, placing a blanket over Isobelle's chest.

"Like what?" She looked at me almost angrily, like this was my fault.

"It's not Holly's fault. It's nobody's fault. You're being really cruel."

Amy stared at me. For a moment I almost thought she would attack me. Slowly her expression softened, from hatred to sorrow.

"I... I'm just trying to keep us alive."

And then I remembered how last night she had almost protested. She hadn't wanted us to shelter here. And she was right, it was a dead-end.

"We all make mistakes. So far you're doing a really good job" I patted her shoulder, reassuringly smiling. 'Twas only till later that I realised it was the first time I saw her smile.

**Alex**

My lungs ached, my legs burned. I couldn't run any farther, yet I had to. Caitlyn had given her life to give me a chance to get away, yet they could be after me right now.

I only had a single piece of steak. My armour consisted of only a leather helmet. If I didn't meet anyone I would soon starve.

If I met anyone...

"Let's not think about that," I told myself. I continued to run, dodging through trees.

The forest ended in a large clearing that was the most familiar thing I had ever seen. The forty-eight platforms stood perfectly apart. Weapons, armour, food and other items were replaced with two people. And those two people had seen me.

One was male, the other female. The male had a mess of blonde hair, well-built and clearly stronger than me.

The girl was shorter, with short brown hair. It was she who spoke.

"Hello! Welcome to our little camp." While she spoke the guy stood, inching towards me.

I was frozen with fear and unable to reply. The girl seemed to see this, for she continued to talk.

"Come closer. Let's see what you look like." I had no choice. I stepped forward slowly, not letting my eyes leave the guy, who was clearly the more dangerous.

The girl studied me, eyes passing over my sheathed sword and shaking limbs.

"How good are you with that thing?"

"N...not very good." I didn't have the guts to lie.

"Honest." It was the first time the guy had spoken. His voice was hushed, though not unkind. The girl nodded.

"Teams survive the longest. Take your pick of armour. We've got a heap."

**Oooh! Antagonist team. Thanks to the three who provided those OC's. And I just had self defense class. I can't write with beat-up arms. See you ^_^**


	6. Chapter 6

**You'll find out why this is late.**

**Alex**

"Why do you have a stone axe? Surely there was a better weapon at the cornucopia."

Francine smiled maliciously. It was an expression I had come to know as exclusively hers.

"A sword requires patience, speed and skill. But with this axe," she lifted the weapon from her belt. "As long as I hit hard enough..."

She raised it, just touching my skull with it. Instinctively I cringed. Noting my discomfort, she smiled again, leaning over to whisper in my ear.

"_I could kill, easily_."

With that she skipped forward, walking alongside Lio.

In silence I glared at Francine, loathing being forced to accompany them. It was clear the two of them would do anything to win, and would not think twice about killing me. Again I promised myself that the moment enough tributes had died for the end to be near and the odds to be good enough for me to survive, I would leave, perhaps killing them as I went.

**Ian**

Amy had been gone for an hour. Or so I guessed, having no clock. Amy was, by far, our best fighter. And so it had been her who left to scout the town for provisions and enemies, leaving me to watch over Holly, who tended Isobelle. The little girl's condition had only worsened. It was more than likely she would die, yet none of us could bring ourselves to leave her, no matter how dangerous it became here.

A slight wind passed through the street. Shifting shadows made me jump, as edgy as I was. Amy had promised to return by nightfall, and until then I was the only fighter. Holly had confessed that she was horrible at anything to do with blades, and her bow would be useless in close range. Even so I had told her to wear Isobelle's knife, in case I was unable to help.

I hated waiting. All I could do was stand and look out. A few lighting bolts had hit earlier, but it was calm now. I had long ago lost track of how many had died. I just hoped it was a lot, though I hated myself for it. The less people alive, the greater our chance of living.

And if we became the final four? I looked back at Holly, who was carefully wiping Isobelle's forehead with a bit of washed curtain left in the house.

I don't ever want to think about that.

"Ian!" Amy was racing down the street, her sword drawn. Behind her were two figures, whom I couldn't see very well.

I grabbed my sword hilt, just managing to un-sheath it before Amy reached the house. She brushed past me without a word, grabbing the door and slamming it closed. Isobelle and Holly would at least have that protection.

"Let's hope we can hold them off," she muttered.

The two attackers came into view. They were both male, and a fair bit older than me, perhaps seventeen or older. One had dull black hair, the other an odd silvery white. They hesitated for a moment where they were, conversing beyond our hearing. Amy didn't let her eyes leave either of them, and I followed her example.

"They won't leave us be," she whispered, shielding her lips with one hand. "Think you can take one of them?"

"So long as he isn't too good." Amy nodded, returning to silence. At last our adversaries broke up. The black-haired one began to walk swiftly towards us. He had a sheath on either hip. Amy noticed this, for she bumped past me, her sword drawn. The silver-haired guy stood back, so I did too, watching him as he did me.

In my peripheral vision, Amy suddenly leaped into action, striking at the other's head with surprising speed. He ducked, raising one stone sword to meet hers. With the other he swung across at her legs. She skipped out of range, stepping forward again before he could react, slashing swiftly. Clumsily he tried to catch her sword between his, but missed. Amy took her chance, stabbing at his chest with his swords lowered.

"Ian!" She yelled while her sword still lay inside her enemy, blood streaming across the iron. "Where's the other?"

The white-haired man had vanished, using Amy's fight as a distraction.

On impulse I ran around the building we had used as our base, praying that I would find nothing, that he had ran.

My lack of luck that had brought me here continued however, and I found him leaning against the building, flames already licking up the wooden parts of the wall.

"Hope you have fun watching your friends die." He _smiled _at me, the flint and steel lying in his open hand. He was leaning against the wall; fire was already blackening his hair.

"Die you asshole," I growled, plunging my sword into his throat so hard it stuck in the wood. He shuddered, and blood leaked down his windpipe with a gurgling noise. I forgot my sword, leaving it in his neck as I raced around the building.

Amy was already inside, pulling a choking Holly by the arm. Smoke filled the house, blinding us. I picked up Holly and rushed her outside. I nearly dropped her in my haste to go back for Isobelle.

Inside was blackness. I couldn't even see the fire. I tripped and fell over some piece of furniture, and couldn't get up. My lungs were so full of smoke. I couldn't breathe. Dazed I felt hands tugging at my shoulders, dragging me. I held on until I could see the doorframe, then passed out.

**Holly**

The second I heard the roof fall, I knew she was gone. Amy stared helplessly at the house, and I stood next to her. Flames consumed the building, and everything inside. I felt as though the crackling of fire, the smell of smoke, our breathing... That was all there was That was all there ever would be.

"Did you know her full name?" I stared at Amy, watched the one tear roll down her cheek and fall off her chin.

I hadn't. I had know nothing about her. I knew nothing about this place, only that she wasn't here anymore.

_Farewell my angel..._

_You're with me always..._

_Just close your eyes and..._

_Next time we meet it's forever..._

**The song above is "Forever", by Jeff Williams (It's from Red vs Blue, if anyone knows what that is) I thought it fit. It is part of the story.**

**I liked Isobelle, and writing her death isn't something I really wanted to do v_v**


End file.
